Bartender Sees Goat Drowning In Wisconsin River And His Quick Thinking Leads To Heroic Rescue

Giovanna was born in Rome, Italy and currently resides in South Salem, New York. In her free time, she likes to cook with her children and grandchildren.

Is there any more noble cause than saving the life of a goat? We think not!

When a patron ran into Mike Soleska’s bar on Friday night shouting that someone needed to call 911, Mike didn’t reach for the phone. Instead he ran across the street, grabbed his canoe, and paddled into the river.

“The water is really high right now,” explained Mike. “Usually it’s a lot lower.”

The goat in trouble, named Elsa, lives in the area with her friends Buddy and Anna. They were nearby watching the dangerous scene when Mike reached them.

“When I got out there, she was [struggling a lot],” he described. “I was against the wall, and the water kept pushing me. I had the goat in one hand, and I didn’t want to squish it.”

But Mike eventually managed to get Elsa back to shore and is being hailed as a small-town hero for his big-time efforts. He’s getting Facebook messages from total strangers thanking him for saving the goat’s life.

As for Elsa, the town seems determined to keep her safe in the future, so they’ve erected a fence to keep the goats back from the edge. And just in case that doesn’t do the trick, Elsa’s even been given a life jacket!